Matablog

Austin City Limits is thrilled to welcome two remarkable artists under the age of 25-years-old.  Lauded singer/songwriter phenoms Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus join us for the first time on July 30 for a taping highlight—a one-of-a-kind co-headline evening with these two accomplished solo artists.

Memphis native Julien Baker’s chilling solo debut, ‘Sprained Ankle’, was one of the most widely acclaimed works of 2015. The album, recorded by a then 18-year-old and her friend in only a few days, was a bleak yet hopeful, intimate document of staggering experiences and grace, centered entirely around Baker’s voice, guitar, and unblinking honesty. Sprained Ankle appeared on year-end lists everywhere from NPR Music to The AV Club to New York Magazine’s Vulture. With 2017’s ‘Turn Out The Lights’, Baker claimed a much bigger stage, but with the same core of breathtaking vulnerability and resilience. From its opening moments — when her chiming, evocative melody is accompanied by swells of strings — Turn Out The Lights throws open the doors to the world without sacrificing the intimacy that has become a hallmark of her songs. The album explores how people live and come to terms with their internal conflict, and the alternately shattering and redemptive ways these struggles play out in relationships. “Turn Out The Lights is beautifully crafted throughout,” noted Spin, “full of the kinds of songs that linger long after they’ve ended.” Under the Radar declared, “Baker is writing faultless songs that will always have a home in our hearts because finding comfort in even the saddest moments means we’re still feeling. And if we’re feeling, there’s hope for us yet.”

2018 was a milestone year for Richmond, VA’s Lucy Dacus.  Her widely celebrated sophomore record, Historian, was met by a cavalcade of critical elation, with NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NBC News, Slate, The Atlantic, Billboard, Paste, Stereogum, and more choosing it as one of the year’s best albums. Dacus’ remarkable sense of melody and composition are the driving force throughout, giving Historian the immersive feel of an album made by an artist in full command of her powers. “This is the album I needed to make,” says Dacus, who views ‘Historian’ as her definitive statement as a songwriter and musician. “Everything after this is a bonus.” She played revelatory sold-out shows at clubs and festivals alike, along with multiple high profile television appearances.  A glance at her worldwide touring schedule in 2019 shows little sign that Dacus is slowing down, and in fact, she will release a series of songs titled 2019 to celebrate.  Recorded in here-and-there studio spurts over the last two years, 2019 will be released later this year as a physical EP on Matador Records, and will be made up of originals and cover songs tied to specific holidays, each of which will drop around their respective date: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day (and Taurus season!), Independence Day, Springsteen’s Birthday, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s.

Want to be part of the audience?  We will post information on how to get free passes a week before the taping. Follow Austin City Limits on Facebook and Twitter for notice of postings. The broadcast episode will air on PBS later this year as part of ACL’s upcoming milestone Season 45.

Stream/Download Julien Baker’s ‘Turn Out The Lights’

Stream/Download Lucy Dacus’ La Vie En Rose“

Stream/Purchase Lucy Dacus’ Historian

Julien Baker on Tour

May 29-June 2 Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona ES
May 31-June 2 Best Kept Secret Festival, Hilvarenbeek NE
Sunday, June 2 All Points East, London UK
June 19-June 23, Sled Island Music & Arts Festival, Calgary AB
Saturday, June 29 American Family Insurance Amphitheater, Milwaukee WI
Thursday, July 4 Roskilde Festival, Roskilde DK
Friday, July 5 Oetinger Villa, Darmstadt DE
Wednesday, August 7 Oya Festival, Oslo NO
August 8-10, Haldern Pop Festival, Haldern DE
Monday, August 12 Lwl Museum Für Kunst Und Kultur, Münster DE
Thursday, August 15 Vodafone Paredes de Coura, Paredes de Coura PT

Julien Baker Online
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Lucy Dacus On Tour

Wednesday, April 24th WFPK’s Waterfront Wednesdays, Louisville KY (Free Show)
Saturday, May 4th Visulite Theater, Charlotte NC +
Sunday, May 5th Shaky Knees Festival, Atlanta GA
Monday, May 6th The Social, Orlando FL +
Tuesday, May 7th The Crowbar, Tampa FL +
Thursday, May 9th One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans LA +
Saturday, May 11th Songbirds North, Chattanooga TN +
Sunday, May 12th The Grey Eagle, Asheville NC +
Friday, May 24 Den Atelier Hollerich, Luxembourg ^
Saturday, May 25 Badehaus, Berlin DE
Monday, May 27 Schlachthof, Wiesbaden DE ^
Tuesday, May 28 Backstage Werk, Munich DE ^
Wednesday, May 29 Alcatraz, Milan IT ^
Friday, May 31 Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona ES
Saturday, June 1 Best Kept Secret Festival, Hilvarenbeek NL
Tuesday, June 4 Boule Noire, Paris FR
Wednesday, June 5 EartH, London UK
Thursday, June 6 Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds UK
Saturday, June 8 Optimus Primavera Sound, Porto PT
Monday, June 10 Bodega, Nottingham UK
Tuesday, June 11 Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh UK
Wednesday, June 12 YES, Manchester UK
Friday, June 14 Mablisfestivalen, Stavanger NO
Saturday, June 15 STHLM Americana, Stockholm SE
Sunday, June 16 Oceanen, Gothenburg SE
Monday, June 17 Plan B, Malmo SE
Wednesday, June 19 De Kreun VZW, Kortrijk BE
Friday, June 28 Friday Cheers at Brown’s Island, Richmond VA
June 29-July 6 Roskilde Festival, Roskilde DK